Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Talismans of Aerdrim
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="havenstone" data-source="post: 4547760" data-attributes="member: 61094"><p><strong>The Arawai Ambassadors</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>ASH AND THE</strong> other squires are up early the next morning, preparing their knights’ mounts and pack animals for the long ride to Guardwatch. They hear distant voices shouting, look up at each other in confusion, and then make out the cry: “Arawai! The Arawai are here!” Abandoning their tasks, they grab their weapons and head for the walls.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">It isn’t the warhost they momentarily feared. Three Arawai warriors have ridden up to the Palace’s front gate and drawn back their cowled cloaks to reveal clan scars, feathered necklets, and bandoliers of short flint blades. They have also unfurled a broad white banner. No Senalline will attack riders under a flag of truce – everyone knows that the curse of Ain is likely to descend on someone who violates such an appeal – but a crowd of angry Lynar-folk is growing around the riders, shouting insults.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“I am T’harai of the Red Kestrel, clan-chief and speaker for the tribes,” calls the tall barbarian in the lead. “We have ridden day and night through forest and field in hiding and at peril of our lives, Lords of the North, to hail you and bring you warning. Will you hear us before you slay us?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">The d’Aramant patriarch, Athagon, appears atop the wall, smiling beneficently. “Speak what you will, captain of the Arawai. Your lives are in no peril here.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“Your preparations and your plans have long been known to the Arawai, <em>kherasi</em> lord,” states T’harai flatly -- using the Arawai word, “steel-folk,” for the people of the north. “You have raised a great army to slay our warriors and desecrate our ancestors’ lands. This will not be permitted. Know that we too have planned and prepared for your coming, and you shall not pass unchallenged.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">This causes a great chorus of mocking whoops, laughter, and hisses from the crowd both on the walls and below. A miserable Kyla wraps her own cloak even more tightly around herself. One of the other Arawai, a sinewy and heavily scarred warrior, stands in his saddle and roars, “By Keyashai, you shall not steal the land of the Arawai again!” The mockery turns uglier, and the crowd around the three horsemen begins to press in more closely, picking up rocks.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">On the wall close to Ash and the squires, General Athriam d’Aramant turns grinning to Atrix’s uncle Sarquin and makes a small gesture with a question in his eye. General Sarquin shakes his head emphatically, leans over the battlement, and cries, “Keep the peace! Let no stone be cast at them. They stand under Ain’s banner, and Ain will protect them if we do not.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">Patriarch Athagon d’Aramant nods and raises his hands, and the crowd falls back again. “We do not come to steal, my barbarian friends,” he calls, sounding slightly wounded but still genial. “We come to till, and plant, and tame, and put your empty land to wise use. You do not see the goodness of this, but we shall teach you. So, return, and make your preparations. Welcome us as you choose, but know that we will come – and stay.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">T’harai shakes his head, grim-faced. “So be it. Your blood is on your own hands, <em>kherasi</em>. Kha! Kha!” He wheels his horse around and spurs it forward. The crowd parts, jeering, to let him and his two escorts pass.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“I hope I meet that one again on the battlefield,” comments Erivas, one of the d’Syrnon knights. “We’ll see whose blood is on my hands.” Turning back to the squires, he waves them from the wall. “Back to your preparations. We have a long ride ahead.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>AS ASH IS </strong>descending to the stables, he is met by one of Marcor’s pages carrying a leather sack. “The general said to go through this saddlebag and make sure any necessary supplies get to Erivas.” Ash nods and takes the bag to a quiet corner of the stables, where he finds a note inside: <em>The <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/4439076-post34.html" target="_blank">two men</a> you spoke of have fled the palace. We will find them and confirm their guilt. You have my thanks.</em></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">After reading it, Ash runs to find Kyla -- who has retreated to her rooms, shaken by the display of Arawai-hatred outside the walls and torn anew about whether she can travel with the Army of the North. “Kyla... Aleander the Sage and Malchus the Cofferer have fled the palace, and the d’Syrnons are hunting for them. They should be unable to carry out whatever their plan of betrayal was – but they might try to attack you as they promised. You need to be careful.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">Kyla shakes her head bitterly. “Do I dare to even leave this room? Ash, I’m not worried about the conspirators, I’m worried about every Senalline out there.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“You can’t stay in Lynar,” Ash points out. “You need to be with your friends – somewhere we can protect you.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">They fall silent as they hear footsteps approaching, then relax slightly when they see Adgar d’Loriad come around the corner, still looking tired but much less nervous than the previous afternoon. “Kyla! I’d hoped we could ride out together today. I’ve spoken to Uncle Sarquin – I had to explain to him that Gareth took my place going north, so he could sort that out with General Athriam – and I let him know that without you, our alliance with the d’Nereins would never have come off. He wants you out of the d’Syrnon kitchens and traveling with the Family.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">Kyla blinks. “Don’t the d’Aramants have something to say about that?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">“They’ll allow it if we take responsibility for you and for your actions.” Adgar shrugs. “I’m comfortable with that. So is Uncle Sarquin.”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">After a moment, Kyla sighs. “Thank you Adgar. I’d be honored to ride with you and your family. How is Sarele?”</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">Adgar inclines his head thoughtfully, almost smiling. “I don’t think she’ll miss me while I’m gone. But I don’t think she hates me. That’s enough to start with.”</span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="havenstone, post: 4547760, member: 61094"] [b]The Arawai Ambassadors[/b] [SIZE=2][B]ASH AND THE[/B] other squires are up early the next morning, preparing their knights’ mounts and pack animals for the long ride to Guardwatch. They hear distant voices shouting, look up at each other in confusion, and then make out the cry: “Arawai! The Arawai are here!” Abandoning their tasks, they grab their weapons and head for the walls.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]It isn’t the warhost they momentarily feared. Three Arawai warriors have ridden up to the Palace’s front gate and drawn back their cowled cloaks to reveal clan scars, feathered necklets, and bandoliers of short flint blades. They have also unfurled a broad white banner. No Senalline will attack riders under a flag of truce – everyone knows that the curse of Ain is likely to descend on someone who violates such an appeal – but a crowd of angry Lynar-folk is growing around the riders, shouting insults.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]“I am T’harai of the Red Kestrel, clan-chief and speaker for the tribes,” calls the tall barbarian in the lead. “We have ridden day and night through forest and field in hiding and at peril of our lives, Lords of the North, to hail you and bring you warning. Will you hear us before you slay us?”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The d’Aramant patriarch, Athagon, appears atop the wall, smiling beneficently. “Speak what you will, captain of the Arawai. Your lives are in no peril here.”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]“Your preparations and your plans have long been known to the Arawai, [I]kherasi[/I] lord,” states T’harai flatly -- using the Arawai word, “steel-folk,” for the people of the north. “You have raised a great army to slay our warriors and desecrate our ancestors’ lands. This will not be permitted. Know that we too have planned and prepared for your coming, and you shall not pass unchallenged.”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]This causes a great chorus of mocking whoops, laughter, and hisses from the crowd both on the walls and below. A miserable Kyla wraps her own cloak even more tightly around herself. One of the other Arawai, a sinewy and heavily scarred warrior, stands in his saddle and roars, “By Keyashai, you shall not steal the land of the Arawai again!” The mockery turns uglier, and the crowd around the three horsemen begins to press in more closely, picking up rocks.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the wall close to Ash and the squires, General Athriam d’Aramant turns grinning to Atrix’s uncle Sarquin and makes a small gesture with a question in his eye. General Sarquin shakes his head emphatically, leans over the battlement, and cries, “Keep the peace! Let no stone be cast at them. They stand under Ain’s banner, and Ain will protect them if we do not.”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Patriarch Athagon d’Aramant nods and raises his hands, and the crowd falls back again. “We do not come to steal, my barbarian friends,” he calls, sounding slightly wounded but still genial. “We come to till, and plant, and tame, and put your empty land to wise use. You do not see the goodness of this, but we shall teach you. So, return, and make your preparations. Welcome us as you choose, but know that we will come – and stay.”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]T’harai shakes his head, grim-faced. “So be it. Your blood is on your own hands, [I]kherasi[/I]. Kha! Kha!” He wheels his horse around and spurs it forward. The crowd parts, jeering, to let him and his two escorts pass.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]“I hope I meet that one again on the battlefield,” comments Erivas, one of the d’Syrnon knights. “We’ll see whose blood is on my hands.” Turning back to the squires, he waves them from the wall. “Back to your preparations. We have a long ride ahead.”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]AS ASH IS [/B]descending to the stables, he is met by one of Marcor’s pages carrying a leather sack. “The general said to go through this saddlebag and make sure any necessary supplies get to Erivas.” Ash nods and takes the bag to a quiet corner of the stables, where he finds a note inside: [I]The [URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/4439076-post34.html"]two men[/URL] you spoke of have fled the palace. We will find them and confirm their guilt. You have my thanks.[/I][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]After reading it, Ash runs to find Kyla -- who has retreated to her rooms, shaken by the display of Arawai-hatred outside the walls and torn anew about whether she can travel with the Army of the North. “Kyla... Aleander the Sage and Malchus the Cofferer have fled the palace, and the d’Syrnons are hunting for them. They should be unable to carry out whatever their plan of betrayal was – but they might try to attack you as they promised. You need to be careful.”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Kyla shakes her head bitterly. “Do I dare to even leave this room? Ash, I’m not worried about the conspirators, I’m worried about every Senalline out there.”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]“You can’t stay in Lynar,” Ash points out. “You need to be with your friends – somewhere we can protect you.”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They fall silent as they hear footsteps approaching, then relax slightly when they see Adgar d’Loriad come around the corner, still looking tired but much less nervous than the previous afternoon. “Kyla! I’d hoped we could ride out together today. I’ve spoken to Uncle Sarquin – I had to explain to him that Gareth took my place going north, so he could sort that out with General Athriam – and I let him know that without you, our alliance with the d’Nereins would never have come off. He wants you out of the d’Syrnon kitchens and traveling with the Family.”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Kyla blinks. “Don’t the d’Aramants have something to say about that?”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]“They’ll allow it if we take responsibility for you and for your actions.” Adgar shrugs. “I’m comfortable with that. So is Uncle Sarquin.”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]After a moment, Kyla sighs. “Thank you Adgar. I’d be honored to ride with you and your family. How is Sarele?”[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Adgar inclines his head thoughtfully, almost smiling. “I don’t think she’ll miss me while I’m gone. But I don’t think she hates me. That’s enough to start with.”[/SIZE] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Talismans of Aerdrim
Top